Before we received the wedding invite to Utah, this part of the world wasn’t on our travel list. Not because we didn’t want to go… we just had no idea how awesome it was!
So after flying from the UK to Vegas and rocking up to Capitol Reef (in our convertible mustang, not practical for off-roading, or for scorching days, but great for fun-factor), we had zero expectations.
And what we discovered knocked our country-radio socks off.
The Trails
There’s enough choice here to keep you busy for a while. But with only 2 full days here, we hit up the big players. Capitol Reef is home to one of the few arches in Utah you can walk over (yes that’s us standing on it – though I did lunge my way back across, because what else is a physio to do?!). The out-and-back route is 5.6km from the trailhead, with a solid climb and some exposed areas. Named after Butch Cassidy’s hide-out and with some pretty cool history behind it, this was one of our faves.
The main hikes are well signed, which is critical when you’re sweating out of your eyeballs – defo recommend an early start if you go in summer, and take plenty of water(!). We always build up our fitness before big trips like this – our bodies (specifically knees) prefer it if they are prepared!
A close second came Hickman’s Bridge, an awe-some delicate bridge that you can explore underneath. At 3km this hike took us about an hour twenty overall, with plenty of stops for water and taking in the views. We met a lovely couple on this hike who gave us a horticultural lesson – turns out those cute cacti with the pink flowers are the very same Prickly Pears we had flavoring our margaritas the night before.
We missed out on the narrows in Zion, but there are some pretty humbling big walls of rock here too (hello Grand Wash Trail) – the pictures don’t do the sheer scale of this justice, you really have to see it for yourself.
The unexpected bits
Hiking in the red deserts of Utah is about as far away from rolling English countryside as you can get. But nestled against the deep red, is a vibrant green orchard, with trees plump with fruit, courtesy of the first settlers here and still going strong over a century later. And it is our duty to support the local businesses, so of course we had to have the world-famous Gifford Homestead fruit pies! And after a sweaty hike, relaxing in the orchard oasis, those pies now regularly feature in my dreams…
…and of course we took some back to our accommodation to have later too. No such thing as too many pies.
Waking up in a mirror
Staying in a mirrored cabin at Reflections by Unwind and waking up to walls of glass and mountain views is top tier. As I lay in our comfy bed and wound the electric blinds up, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning; we genuinely couldn’t decide if we wanted to go out and explore or hang out here all day.
Eventually our adventurous spirits won, and we did venture out, but let me tell you that hammock was calling my name very loudly (after a cold shower, again with fully glass walls – a fun experience) when we got back hot, sweaty, and full of pie. Can’t think of many better ways to build in some much-needed chill time.
Capitol Reef is famous for its dark sky park – the cabins, being mostly glass, are perfect if you want to sit somewhere fly-free and air-conditioned to watch the stars and contemplate the meaning of life. But a word of warning, while no-one can see into the cabins during the day due to the mirror, at night it is a different story… so if you’re feeling romantic, you might want to wind down the blinds…
Would we come back?
Absolutely! I still have so much more on my to-do list here. Until we meet again, I’ll just be wearing my Capitol Reef kids-size tee everywhere.
Post written by Reflections guest Jen Molton
